Iron(III) sulfate

Iron(III) sulfate is an inorganic salt composed of iron(III) ions and sulfate ions, with the formula Fe₂(SO₄)₃. It commonly occurs as hydrated crystals.

Iron(III) ion: The Fe³⁺ cation, formed when an iron atom loses three electrons. Three Fe³⁺ ions balance the charge of two sulfate ions in the salt.
Dissolution: The process by which a solute disperses into a solvent to form a solution. Water separates the salt into hydrated iron(III) and sulfate ions.
Coagulant: A substance that destabilizes suspended particles so they aggregate and can be removed from a liquid. Iron(III) sulfate can promote particle removal in water treatment.
Iron(II) sulfate: An iron sulfate salt containing Fe²⁺ ions, commonly known as ferrous sulfate. It contains iron(II), unlike the iron(III) in this compound.
Iron(III) sulfate pentahydrate: A hydrated crystalline form of iron(III) sulfate containing five water molecules per formula unit. It is one defined hydration state within the compound’s family of hydrates.
Sulfate: The polyatomic anion SO₄²⁻, consisting of sulfur surrounded by four oxygen atoms. Sulfate supplies the divalent anion in iron(III) sulfate’s ionic formula.
Hydrolysis: A chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with water, often changing its ions or bonds. Hydrated iron(III) ions react with water and release acidity.
Water treatment: Processes that improve water quality by removing contaminants or adjusting its properties. Iron(III) sulfate is used as a chemical treatment agent in some systems.
Iron(III) chloride: An iron(III) salt with chloride anions and formula FeCl₃. It shares iron(III) chemistry but has chloride rather than sulfate.
Iron(III) sulfate nonahydrate: A hydrated form of iron(III) sulfate containing nine water molecules per formula unit. Its greater water content illustrates how the salt occurs in distinct hydrates.

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Iron(III)Broader topic: It shows how iron(III) forms ionic salts distinct from ferrous sulfates.